Vehicles include moveable panels for sealing openings in a body of the vehicle. The moveable panels may but are not limited to a lift gate for sealing a rear opening of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), a decklid for sealing a trunk space of a sedan, or a hatch for sealing a rear opening of a hatchback. It should be appreciated that the opening and the moveable panel may be located anywhere on the vehicle, and may be positioned in any suitable orientation.
A closure assembly secures the moveable panel relative to the body of the vehicle. The closure assembly includes a striker assembly and a latch mechanism. Typically, the striker assembly is attached to the body, and a latch mechanism is attached to and moveable with the panel. However, the relative positions of the striker assembly and the latch mechanism may be reversed. The striker assembly includes a wire striker, which generally forms a loop. The panel and the latch mechanism move along a path into and out of engagement with the striker assembly. The latch mechanism engages the wire striker of the striker assembly in interlocking engagement to secure the panel relative to the body. The interlocking engagement between the striker assembly and the latch mechanism must minimize and/or eliminate movement of the panel in a lateral direction relative to the path to prevent undesirable noise, paint chips, etc.